


Literally

by aj_hofacre, lydiamartin (dwinchester)



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-08
Updated: 2015-07-08
Packaged: 2018-04-08 08:24:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4297584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aj_hofacre/pseuds/aj_hofacre, https://archiveofourown.org/users/dwinchester/pseuds/lydiamartin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is our alternate version of season five. Once again, we're dissatisfied with the lack of Allison and we've decided to fix that problem.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Literally

**Author's Note:**

> Most of the scenes will be similar to what's on the show, at least in the first chapter. We didn't want to outright copy everything, so the dialogue has been altered.

Stiles looked down at the map he had spread out over the hood of his Jeep, circling a few areas with a red marker. He looked up at Scott. “This has to work out. If all of us are applying to the same five colleges, we’re just that much more likely to find one that can take all of us. I mean, your grades are better than they were sophomore year, and Deaton wrote you that letter, right?” He looked back down at the map. “Finding housing is going to be the toughest part of this. We just need to stick to our plan. Lydia’s bound to get into whatever college she wants, it’s the rest of us that will have to figure this out. And, uh, Malia. I don’t know what she’s going to do.” 

“She’ll do what she needs to do, and she’ll get it done.” Scott replied calmly, leaning over Stiles’ shoulder to look at the map on the Jeep. “And I’m still thinking UC Davis for me. It’s got the biology courses I need to actually be a vet, dude. If I don’t get in there, I don’t know what I’m gonna do.”

“Well, you’re going to get in.” Stiles smiled at his best friend. “Because I said you are, and I’m never wrong. Not about anything. Haven’t you learned this by now?” He glanced at his watch. “I think we can untie the streaker.” 

Scott’s lips twitched, and he ducked his head. Without looking over his shoulder, he called, “How you doing over there, Liam? Any animal urges?”

“No, I’m good.” Liam replied. “Please, please unchain me. I feel like an idiot.” 

“You should.” Stiles walked over to the tree where Liam was being held captive. “Twelve calls to Parrish and my dad about you running around naked. You’re lucky it was me and Scott handling this, instead of them.” 

Scott stared at him, confounded as he undid the chains. “I still don’t understand - why were you naked again?”

“It was hot outside.” Liam looked defensive. “It’s bad enough without the extra body hair.” He looked at Stiles. “You don’t get to judge me for this.” 

“He might not be able to, but I can. All of the judging, Liam.” Scott teased, grinning and pointing at his face. “Lots of it. Tons of judging.”

“Yeah, okay.” Liam sighed. “I’m fine, I swear. I have full control now. It was a one-time thing.” 

Scott smiled and reached out to ruffle his hair. “Alright. You’re free. Come on, let’s move.” He looked up at the moon, then shook his head.

Stiles folded the map and got into the Jeep, glancing anxiously at his watch, then his cell phone. It was getting late and he still hadn’t heard from Malia about whether or not she would be a senior this year. School was starting in less than twelve hours. 

Scott climbed into the Jeep as well, waiting until Liam had climbed into the back before he dropped down into the passenger seat. “Are we gonna make it on time?” He asked, peering at Stiles’ watch curiously.

“Yeah, but barely.” Stiles frowned. “I can’t... we all have to be there.” 

“Be where?” Liam spoke up from the back seat. 

“Nowhere.” Stiles said automatically. “You’re going home and going right to bed.” 

“It’s a senior thing.” Scott told him gently. “You’ll do it too, once you’re a senior.”

“You guys are two years older than me and I already _have_ parents.” Liam grumbled. 

“Yeah, well, we’re your pack… parents,” Scott replied awkwardly. “Whatever. You know what I mean. Hey, aren’t you supposed to go meet up with Mason, anyway?”

“No, that’s tomorr- are you reading my calendar when I’m not looking?” Liam demanded. “What the hell?” 

Stiles exhaled slowly, glancing at Liam in his rearview mirror. “That’s it, you’re grounded.” His Jeep turned off and rolled to a stop, and he looked over at Scott. “It just died. It had plenty of gas in it.” He said warily. “Has. Has plenty of gas in it. I don’t drive on an empty tank.” 

Scott sighed. “Is it something with the engine? The car’s been acting funny ever since you crashed it into that tree.” He said gently, then corrected himself. “Ever since Mexico. The first time.”

“If I’m going to afford rent for an apartment in college, I kind of need to save up, so I haven’t gone to the mechanic. It’s going to be fine.” Stiles muttered, getting out of the Jeep and walking around to lift the hood. Everything was covered in duct tape and he knew it looked ridiculous, but it still made the Jeep go where Stiles needed to be.

Scott got out alongside him and rounded the opposite side of the Jeep, staring down at the interior with an almost resigned expression. “I feel like this probably isn’t good for the Jeep in the long run. Do you have any tools?”

Stiles held up the roll of duct tape in his right hand. “This is all I’ve got. I haven’t actually had time to look up Jeep repair, I’ve been trying to find this elusive Desert Wolf. When I wasn’t helping Malia study or trying to explain to her that eating a rat is not the same thing as eating sushi. It was a busy summer.” 

Scott grimaced. “She ate a rat? Nevermind. Please, god, don’t tell me.” He stared at the duct tape for a moment, and then shrugged. “Alright, well. If it’s all we’ve got, it’s all we’ve got. Might as well make use of it.”

Stiles hesitated. “Scott?” He asked reluctantly, biting his lip. 

Scott looked at him, raising his eyebrows. “What is it?”

“You’ve been my best friend since we were four, and in all that time, I’ve asked your opinion on things maybe, six times. Right? And most of those, I ignored what you said and did what I was going to do, anyway. So with all that in mind, I’m gonna ask you this.” He took a deep breath in. “Do you think Malia and I have any chance of making things work, beyond high school? I don’t want to lose her, but sometimes it feels like...” He waved the hand holding the duct tape. “Like this.” He muttered. 

Scott stared at Stiles, opening and closing his mouth in surprise. He croaked a little, clearing his throat, and said, “Well, I… I mean, she’s your first serious relationship, and I guess - I mean, I’d like to think that you two would… that you’d last, but…” He sighed, unwilling to lie to his best friend. “Look, I’m not… I’m not the expert here. When it was me, if you’d asked me two years ago, I would have said…” His voice caught in his throat and he looked down. “I’d have said that… that I was going to ask Allison to marry me after graduation. And that… we’d go to college together and be together forever. But then we broke up, and we never really… mended our fences. And a part of me has never gotten over her, even though part of me has, and then she was just… she was gone. And that part of my life - a whole part of me - felt like it went with her. I’m just - I guess I’m just saying that I don’t want to lie to you. Most high school relationships… they don’t last past graduation, man. A lot of it is because people go in different directions, but sometimes… sometimes what kept people together in high school isn’t enough to keep them together after. And sometimes, it’s because they just don’t want to put the effort in anymore. So… when it comes to Malia, are you willing to put in the effort to keep you two together after we graduate?”

“I don’t know.” Stiles glanced down at the tape, then tore a strip of it off the roll and started working to ‘fix’ the Jeep once more. 

“Guys?” Liam called out. 

“Give us a second, please!” Stiles yelled back. He knew what he was going to do, he just wasn’t sure when or how. Breaking up with Malia made more sense than staying in a relationship with her, and he knew he should do it sooner instead of later. But he had a feeling of dread and he had learned not to ever ignore that. He spun around when he heard a loud crack and felt heat behind him. 

Scott jumped and turned to stare at the smoking pavement behind Stiles, then looked at Stiles, horrified. “Okay. Um. I think we should maybe hurry. Hey, Liam, can you turn the ignition?”

As soon as Scott spoke, the Jeep started up again on its own, and Stiles made a face. “Okay, that was a sign. Right? Near death experience, questioning myself and my life choices, maybe I should do something.” 

“Like get in the car?” Scott suggested, and grabbed Stiles by the shoulders, frog-marching him to the front seat and all but shoving him inside. “Let’s go, dude.”

Stiles waited until Scott was safely back into the Jeep before he drove away, heading toward Malia’s house. 

Scott stared out of the window on the way, his thoughts on Kira and when she would be back - if she’d make it home in time for the Senior Scribe, and Stiles’ insistence that everyone be there. He’d missed her while she’d been gone, but they hadn’t talked as often as he’d have liked. A part of him wondered if he’d allowed himself to partially distance himself from her, and then he shook his head. “I hope Kira makes it tonight.” He mumbled.

“Yeah. She’ll get there.” Stiles honked the horn as he pulled into the lot where Malia was waiting for him. “Sorry I’m late!” He blinked, smiling in surprise when she ran toward him to kiss him. 

“I’m sorry too.” Liam pouted at Malia. 

Malia glanced at Liam blankly, blinking, then jumped when her father spoke up behind her.

“You both remember that I have access to a gun, right?” Mr. Tate scowled at the boys, crossing his arms over his chest. “One that I legally have the right to use. At any time.”

Malia rolled her eyes. “Dad, stop.” She shooed him away, and then raised her eyebrows pointedly at Stiles. “What’s going on? Why were you late?”

“Trouble with the Jeep.” Stiles admitted. He got out and moved his seat forward to let her in. “Have you heard anything yet?” 

Malia grimaced and stared down at her phone as she climbed into the Jeep, shaking her head. “Nothing. Is this normal? Shouldn’t I have known, like, two weeks ago instead of thirty minutes before I absolutely need to know?”

“Well, maybe they messed up.” Stiles suggested, turning to face Malia. 

“Heard anything about what, your summer school classes?” Liam’s eyes widened when Malia looked up at him and glared. “I just... I heard them talking about it.” He pointed at Scott and Stiles. “I didn’t know it was some kind of secret.” 

“It’s not.” Stiles shook his head. “It’s not that big of a deal, either. Malia, you’ve got a lot of catching up to do, but that doesn’t mean anything bad.” 

Malia pressed her lips together tightly. “It doesn’t mean I wanted you to air all of my dirty laundry, Stiles. I told you and you alone.”

Scott raised a hand, looking back at her. “He didn’t tell me to be malicious about it, Malia, he was just letting me know because he was concerned. That’s all. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. I wouldn’t have made it past freshman or sophomore year if it wasn’t for him.”

Malia stared at Scott, then rolled her eyes up and sighed. “Fine. Okay.”

“Did you... did you just roll your eyes?” Stiles looked at Scott, then back at Malia. “Why did you do that?” 

Malia looked at Stiles and blinked. “Isn’t that what you do when something annoys you?” She asked bluntly.

“ _Yes_ , but Scott explaining something to you because you got angry for no reason wasn’t exactly...” Stiles grimaced. “You know what?” He opened his door and got out. “Malia, get out of the Jeep. We need to talk.” He looked at Scott and Liam. “And you two are going to at least have the decency to pretend you can’t hear us.” 

Scott looked back at Liam and raised his eyebrows. “Cover your ears.” He told the beta.

Liam sighed and leaned back in his seat, putting his hands over his ears. 

Malia didn’t look keen, but made a face as she climbed out of the Jeep after Stiles. She folded her arms defensively over her chest. “Okay.”

Stiles closed the Jeep’s door and turned to face Malia. He was quiet for a moment, trying to think of what to say to her. “Malia, what are we doing?” He asked finally. “I spent all summer trying to help you, and it’s like every time I did something or said something, you just kept getting pissed off about it.” 

Malia looked away, letting out a slow breath. “I just… You can be too much for me, sometimes.” She admitted, scratching her arm with a nail. Shaking her head quietly, she clarified. “I always feel like you’re expecting more from me than I can give. I want to be able to give it, but there’s some things that I just can’t. I want to keep you, Stiles. I don’t want to lose you, just because I can’t do or say or be what you expect. I know I’m not the kind of girl you’d rather be with, anyway.” 

Stiles shook his head. “No, that’s not - I want to be with you. Or, I think I do. I like you a lot.” He folded his arms across his chest, determined not to reach for her. “All summer, all I did was help you, try to track down your mom, and try to plan out where we’re going to live after we graduate. I don’t want to lose anyone. If that means you don’t want to be with me and you just want us to be friends, I’d still rather have that than not have you at all.” 

Malia opened her mouth, then chose to be physical over vocal and moved toward Stiles, throwing her arms around him and burying her face in his chest. “I still want to try. If you want to. I just - I care about you. A lot. And, I want to be in your life in any way I can, but mostly in the way where you look at me in that way right before you kiss me, because I really like that look. And the way you kiss. I don’t think I’ve thanked you, like, at all for everything you did over the summer, and that’s completely on me. I totally should have.” She stopped talking and just stayed quiet for a moment, curled against him and closing her eyes. “I’m sorry for all of that, Stiles.”

Stiles nodded, rubbing Malia’s back as he breathed out, relieved that she seemed to be feeling the same way he was. “We’ll just pull back a little. Not really start over, but something like that.” He heard a buzzing sound. “Hey. Your phone!” 

Malia pulled back, blinking and looking around. “Oh, crap.” She patted herself down, then pulled the phone out of the back of her shorts’ pocket, staring down at it nervously. She swallowed roughly. “I’m scared to look.” She admitted.

Stiles took the phone from Malia and read the email. He looked up at her. “Uh, they said... you didn’t make it.” He sighed, holding the phone back out to her. “I’m sorry.” 

Malia stared at him, then stared down at the phone listlessly, her shoulders slumping. “Oh.” She mumbled, and shut her eyes. “Well, shit. I guess I can’t come to the Scribe tonight, can I?” She exhaled, trying to say it lightly, attempting to pretend that she was less disappointed than she was sure she looked.

“Next year.” Stiles murmured. “Don’t give up just yet.” 

“Next year isn’t this year.” Malia replied, looking up at him miserably. She dropped her head to his shoulder, clinging to the sides of his shirt. “I really wanted it to be this year.”

“But it can’t.” Stiles shook his head at her. “So all you can really do is just try again and hope to do better.” He looked at his watch again. “Listen, I’m going to drop you off with Liam. We have a few other things to do, but I swear to you that I’ll be around tomorrow morning, okay?” 

Malia made a face but nodded, shutting her eyes. “Promises, promises.” She teased him lightly, then lifted her head to kiss him.

Stiles kissed Malia, feeling a little confused about what had just happened. He had made up his mind to break up with her, no matter how much it might hurt, and then... he hadn’t followed through. But things seemed better already, so he was willing to alter his plans. It wasn’t the first time he had needed to do that. He knew it wouldn’t be the last. 

Malia closed her eyes, sighing softly and reaching up to cup his chin lightly. She pulled back for a moment, staring at his chin fixedly for a long moment. “You’re a good boyfriend.” She mumbled. “Not that I know what any other boyfriends are like, but I’m pretty sure they could take their cues from you.”

“Good boyfriends tell their girlfriends they want to break up?” Stiles shook his head. “I’m an asshole, everybody knows that.” 

Malia grimaced. “Maybe, but it’s not like I’m a great choice for girlfriend. I know I’m loud and blunt and more prone to snarling and chewing someone’s hand off than actually discussing things.” She looked up at him. “For whatever reason, you like me. Or you like that I act like that, I don’t know. But it doesn’t stop you from being with me like it probably would with other guys. The breaking up bit, I… I’m not sure I could have handled that well, but it’s not like I wouldn’t have, you know, seen it coming.”

“Uh...” Stiles sighed. Their conversation was taking up more time than he wanted it to, but he knew that was just being selfish. “I don’t like that. I don’t like when you lose your temper or when you say weird things. I’ve been trying to work with you on that for months now and it’s like it’s just not sticking for some reason.” 

Malia pursed her lips, shifting a little, then sighed. “I don’t know. I don’t know why I’m not getting it. Maybe I’m just more animal-minded than we thought I was.” She looked down, then sighed again. “Maybe you’re right to want to break up with me. Isn’t being with someone supposed to make both people better? I don’t think I’m doing you any favors. If anything, I think I’m, like, dragging you down with me.”

“I don’t think it’s just you.” Stiles said gently. “And I think we should still be friends. I just want us to be sure this is right. It’s a pretty big year for me and next year is going to be kind of insane.” He paused. “God, I sound like a dick right now, too.” 

Malia gave him a small half-smile. “Yeah, well, I sort of like you that way. That probably should have been the first clue that we’re both screwed up.” She hesitated a moment, then leaned up and kissed him again, briefly, before pulling back. “We could be good friends, I think. I’ll miss the other stuff between us, though.” She shrugged a shoulder, her smile widening. “Honesty, you know.”

Stiles laughed. “Yeah, me too.” He admitted. “Okay, I’ve gotta hurry up. I swear I’ll help you with your classes, starting tomorrow after school.” He opened the door to the Jeep to let Malia back into the back seat. 

Malia climbed back in and sat down beside Liam, feeling oddly content now that things between herself and Stiles were settled. She smiled at Stiles in the rearview mirror, and then stared out the window.

Scott glanced at them both in concern. “Is everything okay?” He asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Uh, yeah.” Stiles nodded, starting the Jeep. “We broke up. Just now. It’s fine.” He drove out of the lot and toward Liam’s house. “She’s gotta repeat junior year and I promised to help her with homework and stuff, so basically all we’re stopping is the kissing. And sex.” He blinked, glancing at Malia in the rearview mirror. “Can somebody remind me to pick up lotion before I go home?” 

“Gross.” Liam muttered. 

Malia grinned at him in the mirror. “I’ll take a lot of pleasure in that.” She assured him.

Scott cackled softly, grinning back at Liam over his shoulder. “You’re gross.” He shot back.

“What?” Liam looked confused. “I’m not gross. Why am I gross? I’m not the one saying things about lotion.” 

“What did I say?” Stiles grinned. “I said someone needs to remind me to get lotion. That’s all I said. Your mind went somewhere with it. I had nothing to do with that.” 

Scott laughed again, covering his face. “That was seriously - that couldn’t have been any more perfect.”

Malia looked amused. “Oh, I think it could have been. Liam could have made an actual pun and stuck his foot in his mouth.”

Scott looked back at Malia. “What sort of pun?”

Malia shrugged and gave a mumbled, “I don’t know.”

“She’s still learning about puns.” Stiles explained. “It’s still progress.” He smiled at his ex-girlfriend, pulling up in front of Liam’s house and getting out to let Malia back out of the Jeep. He looked at Liam. “Malia’s going to stay with you and keep your scrawny ass out of trouble. Don’t forget your schedule tomorrow, and bring plenty of pens.” He thought of Allison and how she had forgotten to bring something to write with, on her first day at their school. “Bring lots of pencils, too. Hell, bring a marker.” 

Malia blinked. “Me too, or no?” She asked, hopping out of the Jeep.

“Both of you.” Scott replied, nodding at her. He glanced at Stiles and smiled a little. “Like he said, lots of pencils. Pens. Markers. Everything you can write with.”

Liam sighed in defeat. “There’s some big secret meaning to your words again. I wish the two of you would stop doing that.” He walked into his house, shutting the door behind him and opening it again a few seconds later. “Good night!” 

“Liam, you’ll understand when you’re older!” Scott yelled, sticking his head out the window of the Jeep. “Go to your room, young man! Don’t forget to brush your teeth!”

Malia stared at him, then shook her head. “Wow.”

Stiles laughed. “We’ve been having some trouble with him lately. It’ll be fine.” He kissed Malia’s cheek and got back into the Jeep, waving to Liam before he drove away. “I think Malia is probably wondering right now if I broke up with her for you. We’re getting a little too parental.” 

Scott shrugged. “You’re my second, dude. If I’m not around, authority of the pack falls to you. That basically makes us the parents. Malia’s fine, she doesn’t think you left her for me, dude.” He grinned at him. “I’m not even interested in you that way.”

“I know, you’ve been telling me at least twice a year since we were thirteen.” Stiles nodded. “I’m pretty sure Malia thinks I’m still holding out for Lydia.” 

“Are you?” Scott asked curiously, glancing at his friend. “I mean… You actually talk to each other now. Know each other. Has anything changed?”

“Yeah, I guess.” Stiles shrugged. “I don’t know if I want to be with her now. I mean, she was this whole... ideal I had in my head. I had our puppies named. She was a placeholder before, and now she’s a person. She deserves better than to have me treat her like that.” 

Scott looked sympathetic. “I can understand that.” He murmured, then leaned back in his chair. “So… you’re single now, dude. What are you gonna do?”

“I told you already.” Stiles glanced at Scott. “Buy lotion. Maybe pray. I don’t know, really. The one girl I could get to look at me was more animal than human and decided I was great for satisfying her urges. She’s going to move on and I’ll be happy for her, but that was probably... I don’t know. I sound pathetic right now.” 

“Just a little bit.” Scott agreed, smiling. “You did decide to break up with her. I think it was for the greater good in the end, but it doesn’t mean you can’t be upset. You’re human, dude, I’d think something was wrong with you if you didn’t get at least a little peeved off at her for moving on or whatever.”

“It just sort of hit me all at once. The lightning bolt almost hit us, and Malia’s a junior again this year, and if we don’t end up finding a house, or at least apartments in the same complex, I’m going to develop a complex of my own. I just don’t want to lose you. As a friend, no jokes to be made here about parenting Liam. I can’t handle... you’re nicer than me. And you’re dead set on UC Davis, so I’m set on UC Davis. If that’s too much, if you want me to go away, I guess I can. It’s just... my dad was telling me that he’s not friends with anyone from high school, anymore. And despite what tv shows tell us, people move on and stop talking. I don’t want to look back in five or ten years and go, ‘Scott McCall... whatever happened to that guy?’ All right? I can’t.” Stiles grimaced, gripping the steering wheel a little tighter. 

Scott put a hand on Stiles’ arm. “Dude, please - calm down, Stiles. I don’t want you going away anywhere. We’re never gonna be those dudes. We’re different. We’re pack. Pack always has each other’s backs, no matter where they are. Derek taught me that.” He paused. “We’re gonna be okay. I promise you, we will.”

Stiles looked over at Scott, intending to thank him for the reassurance, when his best friend’s phone started beeping. “Scotty, I swear to god, if you’re being held back after everything, I’m going to kill you.” He paused, letting the words sink in after having just admitted that he couldn’t handle losing Scott’s friendship. “No, I’m standing by my words.” 

Scott smirked at him. “You wouldn’t do it anyway.” He mocked Stiles, shoving him playfully as he grabbed his phone. “Hang on, it’s my mom.” He answered the phone, smiling. “Hey, Mom.”

“Scott, thank god.” Melissa blurted. “I think a cell tower got knocked out or something, everyone’s having trouble with their phones. I just went by the house to tell you I’ll be at work for the rest of the night and offer you food and money I don’t actually have. I’m assuming you figured out dinner on your own, anyway. I, however, have not. Bring me something?” 

Scott blinked, but laughed. “Yeah, of course. What are you in the mood for?”

“I don’t care, as long as it’s not from this cafeteria. Or a vending machine.” Melissa muttered. “I know you’re short on time, so just get me fast food.” 

“We’ll be there soon.” Scott reassured her. “Love you.”

“Love you, too.” Melissa hung up. 

Stiles had already turned the Jeep around and was going toward Melissa’s favorite diner. “Try calling Kira again.” He advised. “I’ll try Lydia.” 

Scott nodded, staring at his phone for a moment. “I don’t know why she hasn’t called. Maybe she’s…” He stopped talking and called her phone number again.

Stiles patted Scott’s shoulder and went into the diner to order food. He checked the time on his phone, then tried calling Lydia a few times while he waited. He kept getting an automated error message and it made him feel sick to his stomach. Two years ago, he would’ve been fine if it had just been him and Scott doing something like this, but he felt like if Lydia and Kira didn’t make it, it was a sign of things to come. He already felt terrible that Malia was being left out, but he couldn’t do anything about that. 

Scott sighed and leaned back, hanging up the phone. “Nothing, dude. She’s not picking up and I don’t get it.” He looked worried. “Do you think she’s mad at me for something?”

“Why would she be mad?” Stiles thanked the waitress and got out his wallet, out of habit. “Uh, I’ve got... three dollars. It’s about seven.” He gave Scott an apologetic look. 

Scott waved his hand. “It’s cool, dude.” He had a crinkled five in his pocket leftover from lunch that day, and he pulled it out and handed it to Stiles. He beamed at the waitress. “Thanks, Ruth.”

Stiles smiled weakly at the waitress, faltering when she made an irritated noise at him and wandered off with the five dollars from Scott and the two that Stiles had added to the cash he handed to her. He sighed and picked up the bag, carrying it back out to the Jeep. “You’ll hear from her.” He assured Scott. “The two of you are like kittens. Or puppies, whatever. You don’t hold grudges.” 

The smile that had been on Scott’s face when he’d thanked the waitress turned into a glower at her back. “Maybe I hold some grudges.” He corrected. “She didn’t need to act like that. She got her money.” Shaking his head, he looked back at Stiles, raising his eyebrows. “Puppies and kittens? Am I the puppy?” He climbed into the Jeep.

“You’re both the same whatever you are.” Stiles handed the bag to Scott and got in the driver’s side. “Cuddly balls of fur.” He laughed as he drove toward the hospital. “But you’re adorable together.” 

Scott grinned sheepishly, tightening his hand around the back. “Thanks. Sometimes it feels like she came along just when things were falling apart and she helped hold me together.” The smile fell away a moment later. “Other times, I think I’m being unfair to her. Like… I don’t know. I feel like I don’t deserve her.”

“Dude, nobody _deserves_ anybody.” Stiles glanced over at Scott. “Remember how, not that long ago, I was convinced I deserved to be with Lydia? Even though she would’ve probably stepped over me if I was on fire and kept right on walking?” 

Scott nodded slowly, grimacing a little. “She wouldn’t do that now, at least.” He said, glancing at Stiles. “She’d probably yell at you for getting yourself lit on fire and then find a bucket of water and dump it on your head, and then yell at you for being stupid enough to catch fire.”

“Yeah, maybe.” Stiles shrugged. “The point is that it’s eleven o’clock and we’ve got an hour to get this food to your mom, figure out where Kira and Lydia are, and get to the school in time to do this. Any existential crises are going to have to be put on hold until after midnight. Like a Cinderella thing.” 

“Are you Cindy in this scenario?” Scott teased him. He waved his hand, shaking his head. “Whatever, let’s get a move on. I don’t want my mom to starve, and I need to know where my girlfriend is.” He looked at his phone again and sighed. “I hope she’s alright, at least.”

*****

Forty-five minutes later, Stiles was ready to start biting his fingernails as he waited for Lydia, Scott and Kira to arrive. He was still in the parking lot, sitting in his Jeep and watching as one car after another pulled in. No Yaris, no motorbike. He waited a few more minutes, then got out of the Jeep and walked toward the building. 

Lydia turned around and sighed in relief when she saw Stiles, storming toward him. “Finally! I was starting to think I was the only one that would be here tonight. Where the hell is everyone else?” 

“Malia’s repeating junior year, and Scott had me drop him at his house so that he could take the motorbike through the traffic pile-up and try to find Kira. And I would have been in here sooner, but I didn’t see your car.” 

Lydia smiled nervously. “I had Parrish drop me off.” She looked around, avoiding Stiles’ gaze. 

“Okay, so you two are a thing now?” Stiles snorted. “He knows that’s illegal, right? Because one phone call to my dad, and-” 

“We’re not together!” Lydia glared at Stiles, like it was his fault that conversation died around them from her outburst. “And neither are you and Malia. I got a text about it. Do you know what you’re doing?” 

“Yeah, I guess.” Stiles looked at the time on his phone. “Shit. If they’re not here in time, this is going to mess up everything I wanted for us, for the entire year.” 

“We’re here!” Scott bellowed, practically running into the building with Kira’s hand in his, the girl grinning and running after him. Scott beamed at Lydia and Stiles. “I told you we’d be here!”

“You’re three minutes late.” Stiles lied. “They said we can’t do this.” 

Scott’s face went pale, his eyes widening. Behind him, Kira looked horrified and disappointed all at once. “But - but we’re-” Scott blinked, then narrowed his eyes at Stiles. “You’re a lying dick.”

Stiles laughed. “Hey, you earned that, making me wait this long. Come on.” He patted Scott’s back and walked toward the library, feeling his stomach twist a little as he found himself remembering having to serve detention with everyone, back when Jackson was still a kanima and Erica began having a seizure after she got attacked. Somehow, he remembered it fondly instead of feeling terrified. 

Scott was more or less reacting along the same lines, but with a faint hint of sadness from multiple things. He’d spent three years walking the halls of Beacon Hills High, two as a supernatural creature, and memories hit him at every single turn in the hallway. He’d never be able to look at the lacrosse field, or Coach Finstock’s office without thinking of Allison or Lydia or Stiles (for various reasons), and glimpses down the hallway where his locker was made his heart twist. He swallowed and squeezed Kira’s hand tightly. There were so many people that should have been there with them. It broke his heart that they weren’t.

“Stop making those faces.” Lydia frowned at the boys. “We have a whole year left and it’s going to involve whatever lame Prom theme the faculty comes up with and cafeteria food. Homework assignments from teachers that can’t figure out how to spell something as simple as Kafka.” 

Scott smiled at her, looking down a little. “Maybe,” he agreed. “It’s just… I thought all of us would be here tonight.” He went quiet and shrugged a shoulder. “I can’t help thinking about it.”

“Well, we are.” Lydia gestured around to the four of them. “We’re all the seniors in your pack, Scott. The class of two thousand and thirteen is right here.” 

Scott stared at her and nodded. He reached for her, pulling her into a tight hug. “Yeah, you are.”

Stiles gripped his marker in his hand, edging closer to the shelf he had already designated as theirs, where he and Scott had once stood and talked to Allison through a gap between books. He smiled wistfully and uncapped the marker, stepping forward and hesitating for a moment when he saw _D.H._ scrawled right where, Stiles knew, Derek had intended for him to find it. He wrote his own initials and handed the marker to Lydia, looking around for Derek as he leaned against the rail behind him. 

Derek stepped around the shelving and leaned a shoulder against it, looking as though he’d simply been waiting for Stiles to see the initials before he made himself known. He smiled, the corner of his mouth turning up.

Stiles grinned back. “You’re an asshole.” He laughed. “Besides, this is for people graduating at the end of this school year. You’re a little bit past that.” 

“No, he’s not.” Lydia corrected, handing the marker to Kira. “Derek never graduated. He’s getting his GED.” 

Derek inclined his head toward Lydia, his smile turning into a smirk as he looked at Stiles. “You should listen to her a lot more often. She sees a lot of things you don’t.”

“Derek!” Scott blurted, grinning. “Dude, that’s awesome. We’re gonna be class of twenty-thirteen together!”

Derek looked amused. “Yeah, well… We ran for the east coast when I was sixteen. I didn’t get to have a senior year.” He looked around the library and shrugged. “Well, not here.”

“Not anywhere.” Lydia murmured. 

“How does that work?” Kira looked intrigued. “I thought GED classes were different. They are in New York, anyway.” 

“Well, this school is so small that they’re letting him take classes with us.” Lydia explained. 

“How do you even know all of this?” Stiles was considering asking Lydia if she was dating Derek when she rolled her eyes and answered the question he had voiced. 

“My mom teaches here. I saw her student roster.” Lydia moved to stand beside Stiles as Kira stepped back from the shelf and held the marker out to Scott. 

Scott took the marker from his girlfriend, smiling down at her before he directed his gaze to the shelf. Finding the rest of the group’s initials, he carefully scrawled “S.M.” beneath Kira’s and to the left of Stiles’, then hesitated. He chewed on his lower lip for a moment, looking back over his shoulder at Lydia before inhaling deeply and starting to write an ‘A.’

“I think I can handle that myself.” Allison spoke softly, not wanting to startle Scott. She held her hand out for the marker, laughing a little. “I probably should have brought my own, but why break tradition now?” 

Scott spun around, staring at Allison in disbelief. His jaw hung open and he sputtered, even as he handed the marker to her. “Al-Allison, you’re - how? How are you here?”

Allison was silent as she traced over her first initial, adding a second _A_ after it. She put the cap back on the marker and held it out, giving her friends a questioning look because she wasn’t sure whose marker it actually was. She had watched all of them using it. “Lydia led me back.” 

“I’d gladly take credit if I did, but this wasn’t me.” Lydia protested. “I’m glad you’re back, though.” She stared at her friend for a long moment. “You’re different. Not in a bad way. Probably.” 

“We’ll talk about it later.” Allison took a deep breath and held her arms out. “Now, are any of you going to hug me?”


End file.
